Imagine Charlotte as a trainer for writers. Instead of getting you to lift weights, she makes you work out those writing muscles and by the time she leaves, you end up in far better shape than when you started.
Rita Wilson
(Actress/Producer/Director)
There are so many classes and businesses for new writers embarking on their first draft, but none exist for the final draft— the one that matters most. Rewriting can be frustrating, boring, not to mention, incredibly lonely! That’s where Charlotte comes in to restore your creative spirit and speed up the process with clear and brilliant direction. She is unlike any teacher or coach in that she approaches a script as a therapist would. She can articulate what you’re actually trying to say and see all your blindspots. With her background as a performer, Charlotte knows the juicy roles actors look for and focuses on character above all else. She's an incredible sounding board if you just need to talk something out, and asks the perfect questions to identify exactly what you need to take your script to The Next Level. I’m happy to report I use the TNLS tools on all my work in TV and film. Five stars! Worth every penny and more.
Cristine Chambers
(TV writer/Producer)
Charlotte was eloquent and articulate in her ability to help me stay on point and talk through some of the most complex scenes in my script. She did this with grace and kept me motivated all the while. Charlotte's ability to find your true voice and help you stay with it is priceless!
Amy Berg
(Award-winning Filmmaker)
Charlotte's class gave me the push I needed to get my screenwriting going. It was an intimate and inspiring environment...Each week I was so excited to hear what everyone else came up with, and anxious (in the best way possible) to share my own work. To be in a room of creative and supportive people is a dream. We were all propelled by each other and the valuable tools Charlotte gave us each week. I can't wait to start phase two!
Jamie Lynn Sigler
(Award-winning Actress)
I never realized just how much I was missing until my story sessions with Charlotte. I "feel" when I write, much in the same way that I do when I act, but nothing compares to actually sitting down with Charlotte. To understand things fully and to sit with someone who is so passionate about your work, it is simply…infectious and very conducive in helping to continue with this often, arduous task that is screenwriting. Her charm, wit and all around mastery of story structure and especially the way she is able to convey new ideas in a very passionate and refueling fashion, makes one a better and deeper writer. I have worked with people in the past but never on this level. Her teachings resonate with me when I am writing and when I am giving notes on films that I could potentially be acting in. She has been a gift that I am incredibly grateful for and I highly recommend her!
Clifton Collins Jr.
(Award-winning Actor)
Charlotte gave me the confidence to act on an idea I had been sitting on for months. Her structure felt intuitive and organic, which enabled me to actually begin, which I find is the hardest moment in creating something new. She also gave me the language and tools to start learning from material - I’ve never watched a movie, read a book or script in the same way since. As an interdisciplinary artist and producer, working with Charlotte elevated my craft on all levels.
Nancy Degnan
(Producer/Actress)
I was at a place where I had so much to say, but lacked the knowledge of how to put one foot in front of the other in order to tell a proper story. Charlotte gives you the all of the tools you need to turn your idea into an actual readable, and more importantly ENJOYABLE, script.
Jazlyn Yoder
(Actress/Producer)
Charlotte had me watch specific films before meeting her in private sessions. Using these films as reference, she unlocked new levels of insight into precisely what makes great screenplays and characters work. I was amazed...at how much more there was to know about the process of character development, as it relates to screenwriting. These invaluable new insights have enabled me to delve into the development process with collaborators more confidently, and have inspired me to take my storytelling to new levels. I got so much out of our time together. Whether you are a professional or aspiring actor, director, producer or screenwriter, learning Charlotte’s approach to organizing and executing ideas will take your work to the next level, guaranteed!
Hakeem Kae-Kazim
(Actor/Producer)
As both an experienced actor and a beginning writer, I have found Charlotte's tutelage and guidance to be indispensable in both worlds. As an actor, I now have luxury of not only understanding character and arc...but also understanding essential elements that MUST be in place in order to provide fertile soil for an effective piece of storytelling. As a result, I've been able to make ever-more well-informed choices as an actor. And as a writer, I've found that Charlotte has a unique way of simplifying what, at first, to me seemed to be an indomitable task. Now, if someone were to come to me and ask me to co-write on a project, I would have complete confidence that I could add value and help co-create a great screenplay. It's still a lot of work, but Charlotte's classes are a lot of fun!
Ryan Carnes
(Actor)
If you have an idea and you think it’s worth putting up on the screen, but you’d rather spend fourteen hours on a paving crew to get out of writing it – then you need to contact Charlotte...It’s taken me three long years to finish a draft that I feel is industry ready – three years of stopping, starting, questioning, wondering, doubting – but never quitting, because Charlotte, in her incredibly supportive and sensitive way, wouldn’t let me. With her guidance I learned that an idea is not a story. That deep character development will naturally lead to good structure. That a rewrite will actually set you free if you let it. But mostly she taught me that confidence is just a by-product of doing the work. Charlotte taught me that, and much much more. Call her. You’ll see.
Deb Divine
(Writer/Producer)
LA gem of a teacher (and a person) Charlotte has a beautiful way of coaxing the best out of your writing. Her focus is always on how to magnify the strengths in the script while eliminating the weaknesses. Her classes were creative and fun but also treasure chests of screenwriting methodology. My notebook is full of Charlotte’s tips and advice on everything from conceptualizing and writing to getting the finished script in front of industry executives. Her many years as an industry professional mean you are getting sage advice but always delivered with a warm smile.
Ellen Stafford
(Producer @ MGM Studios)
Working with Charlotte has been a wonderful experience. Her hands on guidance proved to be effective as my concept was sold to a major studio shortly after! I first learned the basics of screenwriting during her group class, which I found to be an extremely engaging experience. While working closely with talented and driven writers, it was not only informative but also gave me the drive to dive head on into pursuing a career in writing. I began to meet privately with Charlotte soon after to develop a TV concept. She helped to strategically set up a document while also advising me on the keys to pitching.
Scott McKnight
(Show Creator)
For writers, it's often tempting to obsess over the structure of our scripts. That's all well and good, but most industry professionals and working actors will tell you that they're first looking for strong, fully developed characters in the material they read. Charlotte has always challenged me to discover more about my characters and her process has unlocked new themes to explore as a writer. The Next Level Script provides a collaborative and creative environment that I'd recommend to writers of all skill levels.
Steffen Schlachtenhaufen
(Award-winning Screenwriter/Producer)
Charlotte Chatton has an amazing way of helping you unleash the story you want to tell in the best script form possible. She's patient yet demanding and challenges you to go beyond your limits. Go ahead and take the leap, you'll be glad you did as Charlotte really will take your script to the next level.
June Sarpong M.B.E.
(Producer/TV Presenter)
The very first screenplay Charlotte coached me through was optioned by a production company and landed me representation at UTA! Writing is a lonely endeavor. Understanding this, Charlotte Chatton doesn’t merely read your screenplay and give notes. She fully inhabits your imaginary world, slips into the skin of your characters, and gives you feedback from the inside out. With Charlotte as your coach, you will have a friend and ally on the inside, encouraging you and pushing you from conception of your idea all the way to the birth of your completed screenplay.
Tim Grant
(Screenwriter @ UTA)
I always look forward to my story sessions with Charlotte. She knows story structure cold, as well as how to deepen character on the page. Like a great director would an actor Charlotte gently guides you with her remarkable clarity to take your story to the next level.
Patricia Veneman
(Screenwriter/Director)
The best recommendation I can give Charlotte is that I keep going back to her. Doesn’t matter how good I think my script is, a session with Charlotte always makes it exponentially better. She’s an integral part of my writing process and I would feel lost at sea without her. The fact that she’s also a sweet and generous soul is an added bonus in this god forsaken industry!
Hunter Adams
(Filmmaker)
After taking Charlotte’s incredibly insightful and inspiring Fundamentals Class, I was invited to join one of her Screenplay Development Groups. I’m happy to report that I now write at least 10 pages a week, a feat that 6 months ago seemed completely out of reach. If you want to begin or accelerate your writing craft then I highly recommend working with Charlotte over at The Next Level Script!
Gregory Hoyt
(Actor)
When I first came to Charlotte, I was an actor who was also experiencing some early momentum as a new TV producer...Although I did not want to call myself a writer, Charlotte convinced me otherwise. In our privates, she broadened my understanding of story structure and character development that changed how I approached the whole industry. I saw an immediate difference in the way I was creating documents and how I was pitching concepts in the room. After selling my first show to a cable network as an EP, I jumped right into one of Charlotte’s development groups – a group that has now become a staple in my professional life. She has this special ability to bring together the right creators at the right time to produce work that is both compelling and nuanced. As an educator myself, I completely relate to Charlotte’s teaching style. She guides and refines, but most importantly, inspires and empowers. I now call myself a writer because of her.
Megan McNulty
(Actress/Show Creator)
Having worked in the film industry for a decade before meeting Charlotte, I immediately regretted not having met her sooner. She's given me the tools and an understanding for storytelling that I wish I had when I started out in this business. I feel I can finally start making work that is fully realized and stop making work that isn't.
David Guy Levy
(Director/Producer)
Charlotte provides an amazing service. She is insightful, committed, and incredibly supportive. As a writer, full of self doubt, I could not have survived the script writing process without her.
Toby Courlander
(Award-winning Producer)
I can’t say enough good things about Charlotte’s class. She introduces a comprehensive but easy-to-grasp model for how to develop a screenplay from start to finish, and provides practical tools and templates to do so...The class is experiential and engaging – no boring lectures here! All of the class members – from those who had written multiple scripts to the newbies – were developing and presenting their own material throughout. This leads to an environment in which students are not only learning from Charlotte’s deep well of expertise, but from each other. Highly recommended!
Michelle Skinner
(UTA Executive)
Charlotte knows story and characters cold. We’ve worked on two screenplays together now and she’s grasped each one from the start and given me instantaneous, inspired and relevant feedback! Her pinpoint questions lift me out of my slumps. Her suggestions go right to the heart of each problem.
Linda Feferman
(Director/Producer/Writer)
Looking at your screenplay through a high-concept filter can be confusing and even demoralizing for a screenwriter. Charlotte Chatton’s analysis opens up the pages’ possibilities for a final draft, or even conquering a belabored first one...She approaches story development and characterization with the writer’s interest at heart, emphasizing where the strength in a piece lies. Her positive approach to re-writes and her thorough understanding of story-craft make her analysis writer-friendly and reader-approved.
Jonathan Sheldon
(Director/Producer/Author)The Next Level Script © 2009 | Contact Charlotte | Web Design: www.doueadlerdesign.com